Warner Bros. Discovery is set to significantly expand its horizons with a proposed $8.5 billion production spend in Las Vegas, as announced on Tuesday. The commitment would transform the film and television landscape, but hinges on a tax incentive package that’s yet to weave its way through Nevada’s legislative body slated for discussion next year. The media company, well known for its portfolio including HBO and DC Comics, is eyeing a partnership with UNLV and Birtcher Development at the university’s Harry Reid Research & Technology Park, which would be rebranded as Warner Bros. Studios Nevada.
The proposed Nevada Studios venture, which plans to also feature the Nevada Media and Technology Lab catering to UNLV’s film department, sits on the edge of another significant investment in the region. State Senator Roberta Lange’s legislation, referred to as the Nevada Film Studio Infrastructure Act, which intends to introduce up to $190 million in annual, transferable tax credits for over two decades for film and TV production, has to first pass when presented again in February 2025. By some calculations, these credits could cost the state upwards of $2 billion but the promised returns are expected to be upward of $55 billion over 20 years.
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